#52) Katie Burnett, 31, Bellevue, WA. PR: 4:21:51 (50km AR) Team USA, he is singularly focused on a podium nish at the U.S. Men’s USATF National 50km Race Walk Championships Regionals at 5k & 10k in 2019. Dan was also the Manager of Team USA In 2017 Katie exploded onto the world stage by rst a 13 Olympic 20km Race Walk Trials in Eugene, OR in June. (Con rmed entries as of 2/24/21) at the 2007 Pan Am Cup. minute PR and setting the American Record at these Championships in Santee, and then lowering it by another 5 min in London to claim 4th #202) Richard Campbell, 75, Orange, CA. PR: 2:20:56 #1) Andreas Gustafsson, 39, Lehi, UT, PR: 3:50:47 #8) Bruce Logan, 56, New York, NY. PR: 5:23 place in the inaugural IAAF World 50km Race Walk Championships!!! A masters race walker for 23 years, he is ranked #1 nationally in his age Long a member of the Swedish national Team, Andreas became a U.S. A triplet, with 3 degrees, who is also a Hula & Folk Dancer with over She won the U.S. Championship again in 2018, and was 3rd last year group with a personal best of 9:18 for the indoor mile in 2019. citizen by marriage in 2015 and has 2 sons and a business creating 100 performances, Bruce has won 10 National Age-Group Race after dropping out in 2019. A member of the U.S. National Team since Professionally, Rick retired in 2017 after 48 years as telephone installer multi-vitamins for runners in the U.S. (Bnatrl Nutrition). Eligible to Walking Championships, including 3 at 50km. 2012, she was a 7x NAIA All-American at William Penn, including once and repairman, and he is married with a daughter, 48 and two step-sons, represent the U.S. in international competition, and wear the red, as a javelin thrower. Not a slouch at the shorter distances, she also 42 and 45. white, and blue after a hiatus from racing, he won the 2020 U.S. #9) , 56, San Pedro, CA. PR: 3:55:39 nished 3rd in the 2016 Olympic Trials at 20k. Olympic 50km Race Walk Trials in Santee a year ago. Allen is a 2x Olympian, walking the 20km in 1992 and the 50km in #203) Janelle Branch, 32, Dubuque, IA. PR: 1:55 1996; who was the dominant U.S. walker in the mid-1990’s setting 5 #53) Yolanda Holder, 62, Corona, CA. PR: 6:22:54 (50km) A U.S. Navy veteran with a Masters degree in Public Administration, #2) Matthew Forgues, 28, Boothbay, ME, PR: 4:11:43 American Records and winning every major U.S. Championship Yolanda is a professional Endurance Ultra Walker and a Janelle is now the Head Cross Country and Assistant Track Coach at A graduate of Goucher College, Matthew is currently living in Chula multiple times. After moving back to Southern California in 2016, he 2-time Guinness World Record holder for “Most Completed Clarke University. While Janelle was selected to be the Head Coach for Vista. He was 4th in the 2016 Olympic Trials, third at the 2017 got the itch to race walk again… in a Calendar Year”, nishing a staggering 106 marathons/ultras in 2010 Team USA for the 2019 U.S. vs. Canada Junior Dual Meet, she also Nationals, 2nd in 2018, our National Champion in 2019 and 2nd in the and breaking her own record in 2012 by nishing 120 nished 10th in the 2019 USATF Outdoor RW Championships and 7th at 2020 Olympic Trials. Matt is a 10x high school All-American, who also #10) Joel Pfahler, 30, Dayton, OH. PR: 1:38:10 (20km) marathons/ultras! She is also the American Record holder for the 10 the 2020 USATF Indoor Championships as an athlete! In college, she was was a Teach For America Corps member, who taught 5th grade math A videographer with Athletes In Action, this is Joel’s 50km debut. He day race, covering a total of 622 miles, and has nished 542(!!) a 7x NAIA All-American while race walking for Cornerstone University in and coached high school track and cross country on South Dakota’s comes to the 50km, though, with an impressive resume, which marathons and ultras in her life … and counting … Grand Rapids, MI. Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Married to Manuel Martinez, he includes NAIA All-American honors at Cedarville University, a 9th place currently works at the Hilltop Middle School in Chula Vista, and will nish at the 2016 U.S. Olympic 20km Race Walk Trials, and a 7th at the #54) Jennifer Lopez, 25, San Diego, CA. PR: 1:47:07 (20km) #204) Celina Lepe, 25, Spring Valley, CA. PR: 1:43:30 start nursing school in the summer. 2019 USATF Outdoor Nationals. Married with 3 children (ages 4, 2, and A 2018 graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA with a Celina is a San Diego State graduate in Kinesiology who is looking to be 7 months), Joel graduated with a B.A. in broadcasting and digital bachelor’s degree in biology, Jennifer now lives in San Diego and works a Physical Therapist. A year ago she was 3rd in this Santee 20km race #3) Nick Christie, 29, Vacaville, CA, PR: 4:09:32 media with a minor in bible studies; and on behalf of Athletes In at Dexcom, where she works as an engineer on continuous glucose and then she was 6th at the 2020 USATF Indoor Nationals. Celina has Nick has become the dominant U.S. male race walker at all distances, Action, he lead a spiritual support prayer gathering for the weekend’s monitors for diabetics. She was an NAIA National Champion and 7x already quali ed for the 2021 Olympic 20km Race Walk Trials. having won 19 National Championships from 1 Mile to 50km, participants on Saturday. All-American while at St. Ambrose; has been on Team USA for the including the 2018 USATF National Championships at the Indoor Mile, Under-23 NACAC Championships; and nished 8th in the 2016 U.S. 3,000m, and 5,000m and 10km, 20km, and 50km outdoors, and then Olympic 20km Race Walk Trials. Invitational 10km Race capturing the Silver Medal at the 2018 NACAC Championships at (Con rmed entries as of 2/24/21) 20km. He took up race walking after being a California State HS UNATION International Men’s 50km Challenge #55) Amberly Melendez, 23, Marysville, WA. PR: 1:41:32 (20km) Championship quali er in the hurdles and pole vault, and quickly (Con rmed entries as of 2/24/21) A graduate of Northwest University in Kirkland, WA, where she majored #101) Rachel Seaman, 35, Imperial Beach, CA. PR: 1:29:54 (20km) became a 5x NAIA All-American and 3,000m Collegiate Record holder in Psychology. Originally from McCallum, TX she was 2nd in the 2018 A 2012 Canadian Olympian at 20km and 8x Canadian National at Missouri Baptist Univ. His girlfriend Robyn Stevens (#50) is the 2019 #31) Jorge Diaz Pineda, 33, Bogota, COL. PR: 4:02:06 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Champs, and quali ed for the US team at the Champion who holds 5 Canadian Records, she is beginning her push for & 2020 National Champion at both 50km and 20km, and is racing Jorge is a Second Sergeant in the Colombian Army by day, as well as 2018 IAAF World Team Race Walk Champs in China. This is her debut at another Olympic berth after tearing her hamstring in 2015 and then here, too in the 35km Championships. one of South America’s best race walkers. any distance longer than 20km. giving birth to her second daughter.

#4) Anthony Joseph “AJ” Gruttadauro, 23, Brockport, NY, PR: #32) Jhon Casteneda, 29, Bogota, COL. PR: 4:10:13 #75) Darlene Backlund, 75, Palm Springs, CA. PR: 6:26:44 (50km) #102) Adeline Johnson, 16, Velvedere, CA. PR: 13:46 (3,000m) 4:16:23 This 9-time Colombian National Champion, was the South American A marvel of time, Darlene started walking at 50, and at last count holds A high school sophomore who has been competing as a runner in track AJ has won 5 National Championships at shorter distances and been Champion at 20km, where he has a best of 1:22:23. He was Colombia’s 8 American Masters Records; has set 4 World Masters Records; has won and cross country since she was 9, and began race walking when she a member of 5 USA National Teams. He has an impressive set of PR’s only race walker at the 2019 Championships in Doha, 34 National Age-Group Championships; and won 5 World Masters Team was 11, she is now a 4x All-American and the reigning National Race for someone who has only been walking 6 years, and after serving as Qatar. Jhon is a full-time Masters student in Industrial Engineering. Gold medals. She will again be walking in memory and honor of her Walk Champion for 15-16 year-olds at 3,000m. This will not only be an Assistant Track Coach at West Virginia University Institute of husband, coach, and training partner, John who passed just before the Adeline’s rst time ever competing at 10k, it will also be her rst time Technology, where he was a history and government major and a #33) David Velasquez, 26, Quiro, ECU. PR: 4:07:47 2017 Championships where she honored him by setting a World racing on a road instead of a track! distance runner on the track team, he is now taking a year o to train David is our record holder at 4:08:32 set when he won the 2019 Record. in his hometown full-time. International 50km Challenge. He was also the silver medalist at the 2018 South American Championships. #5) Pablo Gomez, 48, Morongo Valley, CA. PR: 5:05:14 Originally from Mexico City, Pablo, who was 8th in the 2016 Olympic UNATION International Women’s 35km Challenge Trials and 5th at the 2020 Olympic Trials, got his PhD from Women’s USATF National 35km Race Walk Championship (Con rmed entries as of 2/24/21) Northwestern and just became a Professor of Psychology at the (Con rmed entries as of 2/24/21) California State University, Palm Desert campus 4 weeks ago after 20 #81) Mariela Sanchez, 29, Mexico. PR: 4:46:12 (50km) years in Chicago, most recently as a Professor of Cognitive #50) Robyn Stevens, 37, Vacaville, CA. PR: 4:34:24 (50km) Mariela won the 2018 International 50km Challenge here in her debut Neuroscience at DePaul University. Our defending National Champion who became the rst American to 50km, but that shouldn’t have been a surprise as she is a seasoned win both the 50km and 20km National Championships two years in a international walker with world class PR’s of 1:34:20 at 20km and 45:15 #6) Michael Mannozzi, 34, Dayton, OH. PR: 4:26:46 row. Robyn’s boyfriend is Nick Christie (#3), who is one of the favorites at 10km. She is also the sister of World Championship medalist Eder Known as “The Italian Stallion” in honor of his father, Mike is a 15x in the 50km. A 4x U.S Junior Champion, who was also a national-class Sanchez. USATF National Champion at various distances, and was 3rd in the runner, Robyn is an accomplished designer who came back to racing 2016 50k Trials and 6th in the 2020 Trials. A father of 2 boys (3 and 4), in 2016 after taking 10 years o and is now better than ever. Mike is now a Religious Aairs Airman in the U.S. Air Force at Invitational 20km Race Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Mike is the 3rd member of the U.S. #51) Dr. Stephanie Casey,37, Reedsport, OR. PR: 4:41:12 (50km) (Con rmed entries as of 2/24/21) Air Force to represent his country in race walking following in the Stephanie walked 1:41:47 for 20km and made the 2008 U.S. World Cup footsteps of Steve Pecinovsky and . Team. Since then she has had 4 children (ages 11, 9, 5, and almost 3!) #201) Emmanuel “Natos” Corvera, 26, Spring Valley, CA. PR: 1:26:35 and become a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) and has a family A 2016 graduate of San Diego State, who also has his Masters degree in #7) Dan O’Brien, 56, Port Huron, MI, PR: 5:02:29 practice. But beginning here in Santee 2 years ago, she became a History, Natos nished 4th in the 2016 Olympic Trials at 20km and then This founding member of the Pegasus Athletic Club has a 16 year old force at 50km, nishing 2nd and then following that up with another had a break-out year in 2017, winning the USATF National 20km son, and is a hospital X-Ray technician and “vaccine guinea pig”. He PR at the Pan American Race Walking Cup in Mexico, another top Championships in Sacramento, CA in a big PR. Natos began his has been walking at the national level since 1988; was 10th here in American nish at the Pan American in Lima, Peru, and another international career with a silver medal at the 2014 NACAC Under-23 2017; and won 2 bronze medals at the World 2nd here last year coming o an injury. Championships. Now a 3x USATF National Champion and 6x Member of PRIZE PURSE QUALIFYING STANDARDS maximum of 3 athletes per country allowed to In addition to earning spots on the FOR THE 2021 U.S. compete. U.S. National Teams this year, a total Pan American Race Walking Cup in Guayaquil, prize purse of $50,000 will be NATIONAL TEAMS in Sapporo, Japan, Ecuador, May 8 & 9: The top 3 male and female NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS awarded to the top 7 male and August 6: The rst 3 male nishers at nishers in the 2021 USATF National Men’s 50km female U.S. nishers in the USATF the 2020 U.S. Olympic 50km Race and Women’s 35km Race Walk Championships on MEN’S 50km & WOMEN’S 35km RACE WALK National Men’s 50km & Women’s Walk Trials eligible to represent the February 28, 2021, assuming they meet the 35km Race Walk Championships this U.S. who walk 3:50:00 or better before qualifying time standard and are eligible to SANTEE,CA • FEBRUARY 28, 2021 • STARTS AT 7:30AM weekend who are eligible to May 31, 2021, automatically qualify represent the U.S., will select themselves for Team represent the U.S. in World Athletics for the U.S. Team. If the eld of 60 for USA. A 4th team member may be named competitions: 1st - $8,000, 2nd - the Olympic Games is not lled by discretionarily by a USATF Race Walk Selection $6,000, 3rd - $4,000, 4th - $3,000, athletes who have met the 3:50 Committee. To be eligible for Team USA, a man 5th - $2,000, 6th – $1,000, and 7th - Olympic Standard within the must have walked a minimum standard of 4:35:00 $1,000. This is the largest prize purse FROM SANTEE TO TOKYO AND GUAYAQUIL BY FOOT! qualifying window, the eld will be for the 50km between January 1, 2018 and of any race or endurance event of lled from the descending rank order February 28, 2021, and a woman must have walked Welcome to the 2021 USATF National Men’s 50km & Women’s 35km any kind in the region, including the of the World Athletics World Ranking a minimum standard of either 5:05:00 for 50km or Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon! Race Walk Championships List as of May 31, 2021, with a 3:33:30 for 35km in the same qualifying time period. The City of Santee, USA Track & Field’s San Diego-Imperial Association, UNATION, SDG&E, San Diego Company, and Everything Running are proud to COMPETITION JUDGES & OFFICIALS host the USATF National Men’s 50km & Women’s 35km Race Walk Championships. 50 kilometers is 31.1 miles and 35km is 21 miles and the races will be contested on a 1,250 meter loop course on Riverview Parkway and Town Center Parkway adjacent to Santee’s Trolley Square Mall, around which the men will Pam Betz, Jo Burrows, Ron Daniel, Je Haspell, Faith Hogan, Rod Larsen, Solomyiya Login, go 40 times and the women will go 28! Santee is a familiar site for these international-caliber athletes as Santee has already played host to the 2012, 2016, Gary MacDonald, Rich Robert, Edwin Roche, and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the 50km Race Walk, as well as the 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 National 50km Championships! Due to Dave Snyder international rule changes, this is the rst year that the women will race 35km as their Championship distance.

“The City is thrilled to once again host this United States National Championship event – especially in this most unique COVID-19-impacted year!” said Santee RECORDS City Manager Marlene Best. “For the 9th straight time and 11th time in the past 13 years, this is an unbelievable honor for Santee, which as a city, just Course Records celebrated its 40th birthday last year! We are so proud to welcome and showcase these amazing athletes in this most dicult time. They y under the radar, American USATF MEN’S 50km & WOMEN’S but as athletes that compete for 3 to 4 hours over as long as 31.1 miles, they are among the toughest and most uniquely talented athletes that there are in all 4:09:32 Nick Christie 1/20/18 35km NATIONAL RACE WALK of !” CHAMPIONSHIPS 4:26:36 (AR) Katie Burnett 1/28/17 As many as four U.S. men and women, depending upon USATF qualifying protocols, will qualify to compete for Team USA at the 2021 Pan American Race 1.25km, Santee, CA International Walk Cup in Guayaquil, Ecuador on May 8&9. As many as three U.S. male nishers still also have a chance to earn a spot on the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team, which 40 LOOPS = 50km 4:08:32 David Velasquez, ECU 1/26/19 will be competing in Tokyo and Sapporo, Japan this year from July 23 to August 8. The Men’s 50km Race Walk will take place in Sapporo on August 6. As many 28 LOOPS = 35km 4:12:44 (USACR) ClaireTallent, AUS 1/26/19 as 3 men per country are eligible to compete in the Olympics if they achieve the Olympic standard of 3:50:00 within the qualifying period, and absent that, as American Records many as 3 can be selected based upon their World Athletics World Ranking, which is determined by a combination of an athlete’s best 3 performances during 3:48:04 Curt Clausen the 22 month qualifying window. Both the U.S. men and several international athletes are hoping to boost their Olympic chances this weekend in Santee. Deauville-Mezidon, , 5/2/99 That said, unfortunately the women lost rst their bid and then their appeal to have the 50km race added to the Olympic program for women this year. 4:21:51 Katie Burnett Furthermore, there has been a proposal to reduce the 50km race to 35km (21 miles) in international championship events after this year’s Olympics, and this London, England, 8/13/17 year’s Pan American Race Walking Cup will contest the distance this year for the rst time … thus this year’s new championship distance of 35km for the women. RULES OF RACE WALKING 1. One foot must be in contact with the ground at While COVID-19 fears have limited this year’s elds to about 40% of their normal size, most of the best Americans will still be competing. Leading the U.S. all times. men’s eld will be 3 athletes with local roots – former El Cajon resident, now living in Vacaville and 2018 USATF National 50km Race Walk Champion, Nick Christie, who is a favorite at just about every U.S. championship distance; Matt Forgues, the 2019 Champion, originally from Boothbay, ME, but now a 2. The athlete’s leg must be straight upon landing resident of Chula Vista; and Andreas Gustafsson formerly of Coronado and now living in Utah, who won last year’s U.S. Olympic 50km Race Walk Trials here in and until it reaches the vertical position. Santee. Andreas is a former Swedish internationalist and the son of the 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist at 50km, who became a U.S. citizen by marriage in 2015, There are seven judges on the course. If any three and is now eligible to represent the U.S. of them turn in a red card (proposal for disquali cation) on a given athlete, the athlete is The U.S. women’s 35km eld will be led by Robyn Stevens, the 2019 and 2020 U.S. Champion at both 50km and 20km, and Katie Burnett, the 2017 & 2018 disquali ed from the competition and removed 50km champion and American Record holder (and former El Cajon resident), who nished 4th in the inaugural IAAF World Championships for women at from the course. The Chief Judge may also 50km in 2017! Among their challengers will be Dr. Stephanie Casey who is the mother of 4(!) who was 2nd in last year’s 50km, and 2 newcomers to the disqualify an athlete for breaking one of the two longer championship distance from the U.S. National 20km Team, Jennifer Lopez and Amberly Melendez. All the races will start together at 7:30am. rules in the nal 100 meters of the race, regardless of the number of red cards the athlete has received. In both the men’s and women’s races, we will also be contesting the USATF National Master’s Race Walk Championships for athletes 40 and over, and World and American Age-Group Records could fall in a number of the 5-year age groups, as many of the masters athletes are still national class open division competitors. The highlight here could be Darlene Backlund, 75 years young, who sets all sorts of World Records every time she toes the line, and will be continuing on after she nishes her 35km race to 50km in her quest for yet another record.

Also being contested are invitational 20km and 10km races for both men and women. The 20km race will include 2017 U.S. National Champion Emmanuel Corvera of Spring Valley beginning his preparations for the U.S. Olympic 20km Race Walk Trials in Eugene, OR in July, and Canadian Olympian Rachel Seaman will begin her quest for another Olympics walking the 10K.

In addition to the consistently good racing conditions weather and course-wise, the walkers have grown to love Santee due to the crowd support and on-course including music and the cheerleaders from local schools and clubs. Unfortunately, this year the athletes will have to do with just the music as due to state and local COVID-19 health guidelines and protocols, no spectators are permitted this year.